Criminal complaints against Farmington officer investigated

DOVER — A Farmington police officer is being investigated by a Grafton county attorney after criminal complaints were filed against him late last summer.

By Mikaela K. Reynoldsmreynolds@fosters.com

DOVER — A Farmington police officer is being investigated by a Grafton county attorney after criminal complaints were filed against him late last summer.

Sgt. Michael McNeil is being investigated by Assistant Grafton County Attorney Jack Bell after the case was sent over by the Strafford County Attorney's Office.

“Because he's an active police officer and is a witness in several of our cases, I thought it was best to have an outside attorney review the allegations,” said Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi, adding it is typical to have an outside attorney review a case such as this.

Bell could not be reached Thursday for comment on the nature of the allegations.

The alleged incident occurred early last summer. Velardi said the criminal complaints were filed later that summer. After he reviewed the case, he notified Farmington Police Chief Kevin Willey the case was being sent to the Grafton County Attorney's Office for review.

Velardi noted the case will, however, remain in the Strafford County Court.

Velardi said the complaints were made by a defendant in a case in which McNeil was the primary witness.

The complainant, Randy Gray, 32, of Milton, is still being prosecuted for a case from June 2013 in which he allegedly struck McNeil with his car door as he sped off from a scene where McNeil was handling a road rage incident in which Gray was involved.

McNeil asked Gray if he had been drinking after allegedly smelling alcohol on his breath. According to the affidavit, that is when Gray drove off at a high rate of speed.

Gray was charged with a felony count of reckless conduct for the incident in which his driver's side door struck McNeil in his left arm and leg.

Farmington police said after the incident that McNeil was not seriously injured.

Gray was released on bail into the Strafford County Community Corrections Program in June and is scheduled for trial and jury selection the week of May 5.

Gray said he fled the scene because McNeil, who was off duty at the time, refused to show identification confirming he is an officer.

According to Gray, police responded to his home just 20 minutes after the initial incident, after tracking him through his license plate number. He said officers from Farmington and Milton responded, with Milton officials handcuffing him.

After he was cuffed, he said he and McNeil argued, yelling back and forth. Then, Gray alleges McNeil got in his face and grabbed him around the neck, trying to throw him to the ground.

He said Milton officers attempted to stop McNeil, who stopped only when he fell to the ground. Gray was escorted to the cruiser by Milton police.

“I was complying with everything they told me to do and not resisting in any way,” said Gray, “there was no need for it.”

Gray said there is video footage of the event, but it is not currently available.

McNeil responded Thursday night to the allegations, stating only that he will not comment on the matter.

Willey responded in an email Thursday night, “There will be a time for me to comment; however, now is not the time. So my answer is not 'no comment' but instead I cannot and will not do so until I believe that it is appropriate.”

Selectman Chair Charlie King said McNeil is continuing his work with the Farmington Police Department.

“It is in their hands and we are waiting to see the results,” he said.